Custom swage dies from .204 --> .500

[BT Sniper]

I am having a great time working on perfecting my skills and finalizing designs for new BT Sniper custom swage dies in practially any caliber. I do plan on offering the most popular calibers as a standard product but would like to get an idea of what you guys may be looking for. I am still in the final stages of testing and R&D but I have been getting a lot of intrest from all of you with a lot of PMs. Thought we might just bring it out in an open thread.

My goal is to provide quality set of dies that will work in standard reloading press (with possible threaded ram upgrade) and allow us to use commonly avialble scrap brass cases for jackets as well as commercial jackets.

The use of brass jackets is of course a bit out of the norm and can present some challenges but as you can see the results can be very good. I have not found a piece of brass yet that can't be turned into a great bullet with proper sizing dies.

The one challenge I am finding in reguard to making and offering custom dies is the base punchs. Making a base punch to fit a typical shell holder is labor intensive for me. Making a base punch from a threaded bolt to fit a threaded ram is not. I can see why corbin makes his dies to utilize only his press. Of course that means more cost to us and more profit for him. I don't want to require a "BT" press to make bullets from my dies but I am leaning towards only offering threaded base punches. I am also in the process of offering a simple threaded ram adapter for the Lee Classic Cast press. This press has proven capible of swage any bullet I through at it and any of the "broken" part pics we have seen is a simple fail safe to protect the more expensive dies. All of the broken parts I have seen is less then $10 and that certainly is better then a broken die. With the savings in the cost of this press and less labor to charge on my end to make the base punches I could say the savings would easily cover teh cost of the press if you don't allready have one. It will also allow us to have a dedicated swage press yet it is still a simple switch to convert back to reloading. Less then a minute, unscrew and replace ram top, that simple and good to go.

So what calibers are you interested in? The more intrest I see in a piticular caliber the sooner it may be avialble.

For my standard offerings I plan to have avialble,

308 in a good riffle bullet design for bullets from 110-240 grains
40 cal one step die
44 cal one step
475 one step
.451 complete set
possibly a .338 .458 and maybe even a .375

There is of course alot of other potential calibers to chose from. Let's hear what you guys are interested in and what questions you may have I can reply to here.

Thanks for all your support, good shooting and Swage On!

BT

[ReloaderFred]

BT,

I just purchased a dozen of the push through punches for Lee bullet sizing dies in various calibers for $2.50 each. They are formed long, so you could make them just about any shape you wanted, and the portion that goes in the shellholder is already made for you, which seems to me to be the labor intensive part. I don't know what steel they're made from, and if they can be tempered, but my bet is they can, once they're formed.

I found this to be a much cheaper alternative to the base punches sold by C-H4D. It's something you might look into.

Here is the link: http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata.../lubesize.html

Just click on the "Serv. parts" link for each caliber.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[redneck rampage]

I have used the Lee punches for swaging. I find the .224 punches to be soft. and if you don't push to hard on the .400 punches they do good. But for $2.50 it is not a bad deal to use for light work.

[bohica2xo]

Lee sizing die punches are made from the cheapest stuff they can buy. There is not much carbon, or any other alloying elements in the material.

Even if you went to the trouble of case hardening them, you still have a core that is about as strong as good aluminum.

Then there is the shellholder force issue. That design was never made to hold up to swaging pressures. The top of the ram will deform where the punch hits it eventually.

Just go with the threaded punch, like every other swage die company does.

B.

[BT Sniper]

Yep. I have tried the Lee punches. They will work for a little while but they start to ware out and eventualy break, this is after they bump the side of the dies a few times as the base bends before they break. Not bad for what they where designed for but for swaging I couldn't expect to sell them. I'll have some pics up soon of what I have in mind.

Till then I am open to sugestions and requests for future swage dies.

BT

[NoZombies]

I would think the shellholder style punches would be fairly easy compared to producing the dies?

I'd be interested in sets ranging from .204 on up myself. And smaller if/when you figure that out.

[rugerglocker]

.357 and .355

I want to use junk .223 or 30 carbines for jackets.

Might need a separate die to size the jackets down.

Oh and obviously .224 from .22lr casings.

[BwBrown]

You've got me pretty well set for my handguns.

I'd looking forward to being able to assemble bullets for my 308 and 257 rifles.

Bob

[63 Shiloh]

.357 and .355

I want to use junk .223 or 30 carbines for jackets.

Might need a separate die to size the jackets down.

Oh and obviously .224 from .22lr casings.

+1 on the pistol calibres

Mke

[KTN]

BT Sniper,

How about this idea for making base punch. This is .45 cal punch for my pushthrough sizer. Lot easier to make it fit .308 shellholder. Just one groove, threaded hole and screw .


Kaj

[hunter2]

Want one for making 375 from 357, 38, and 223 brass, heavy for cal.. Also 357and 30 cal.. How much and where do I send it. thanks

[ReloaderFred]

KTN,

I like that idea. It's similar to what Corbin does with their nose punches used in reloading presses.

Fred

[buck1]

I am still intrested in getting .452 HP ,.308 spitzer, and .458 HP as funds permit.
I am set up on a RCBS RC press (swage only) with the ejector. The threaded base punch for me would mean the expence of a new ram and then having it threaded.
I have already purchesed a herters press and shellholder adapters for future boolits.
I do think KTN has a good idea.
FWIW...Buck

[BwBrown]

BT Sniper,

How about this idea for making base punch. This is .45 cal punch for my pushthrough sizer. Lot easier to make it fit .308 shellholder. Just one groove, threaded hole and screw .


Kaj

BT, you have a knack at unique approaches! Economy of time and material, ending up with very workable tools/dies. Keep up the good work!

Countersink the screw head and it will slip right into any universal shellholder slot.
Bob

[BT Sniper]

I'll see what I can come up with for shell holder style base punches. Shouldn't be to difficult. I'll plan to offer both threaded and shell holder style.

Continue with the requests. Even a pic of the bullet you are looking to make will help me to make you a better set of dies for you. Anything is possible.

BT

[hunter2]

bump to the top

[b2riesel]

My needs are .40 one step, .45 ACP from .40, and .223 from .22lr. After making my own ram in about 15 minutes and threading it to 1/2-20...I think you should just go with threaded punches and use the saved time and energy to concentrate on the dies

I'm sure someone can offer threaded replacement rams really cheap for those that need them.

[richbug]

I guess the first question is are you marketing to folks for novelty or frugality?



For frugality:

I would think .224" and .243" from fired 22lr and 22mag/17hmr would be a sensible place to start.

Is this your thought?

Derimming dies

Pinch Die to trim cases

Core seat

Finish die

IMHO, The finish die is the only one that would take considerable skill to make. A major part of that would be getting your reamers made.

[BT Sniper]

Don't forget the core swage die. As far as the marketing I am still working on it.

I am only trying to get an idea of what everyone may be most interested in. Certainly there is a lack of ability for current manufactures to keep up with swage die demands and I hope to step up and offer quality dies as well to meet this demand.

We all know swaging pistol bullets can be quite easy and affordable. This is where I plan to start with the 40s, 44s and 475s in a one step version. The number of people shooting the 45 makes the 45 cal swage die set a smart choice too. There is no reason why I shouldn't be able to offer any caliber set of dies so don't think I will limit myself to just a few.

Now for riffle calibers my starting point may be the 308. The 223 from 22lr I don't have much experience with yet but I do plan to see what I can come up with.

I get a lot of PMs requesting different caliber dies all the time. I'm just bringing some thoughts out in the open forum see what everyone is most interested in.

BT

[CWME]

I agree with the others that have already said .224 from LR cases.